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RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL

FIGURE 7-46. PACE TEST SITE - AFTER RESTORATION,

(EPA). Dr. Bramlitt’s calculations for transuranic element dose generally
agreed with those of the March 1978 LLL study except that Dr. Bramlitt’s

inhalation dose to bone was well below the LLL estimate. Also, Dr.
Bramlitt had concluded that Runit could safely be used for coconut
agriculture, in contrast to the assumptions of earlier studies.
The most significant comment received on Dr. Bramlitt’s draft dose
estimate study was that significant differences were evident between this

study and the LLLdraft dose estimate of March 1978. In particular, it was
recognized that, becauseof an error in computation, the inhalation dose to
bone from transuranic elements in the LLL study should have been a

factor of ten lower than was presented.>! Thus, it was possible that these

high LLL dose estimates had been taken into consideration by the DOE

Enewetak Advisory Group when it recommended, on 27 April 1978, the
reduction of soil transuranic cleanup criteria from 40/100/400 pCi/g to

40/80/160 pCi/g. While DOE had maintained that cleanup to 40/80/160
pCi/g would lead to 13 mrad/year bone does (as compared to the 3

mrad/year EPA guideline), the Bramlitt data indicated that cleanup to

40/100/400 pCi/g would produce only 5 mrad/year bone dose.
Dr. Bramlitt’s study indicated that the most significant predicted dose

under the Case3 lifestyle was from fission products ingested as a result of
consuming coconuts grown in the northern islands. These radionuclides,
primarily strontium and cesium, are by-products of fission reactions such

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